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Track Talk: Interview with Will Power

Track Talk's Victor Genova sat down with Will Power before coming in to race in Toronto.

[Victor Genova] First off, congratulations on winning the 2018 Indy 500! When you started racing in America back in 2005 there was only one oval, Milwaukee, on the old Champ Car scheduled. Back then did you expect oval racing to become a bigger part of your racing career?

[Will Power] Not while I was in Champ Car, no. I had no idea the series was going to merge in 2008. Obviously when that happened it was something I had to learn.

[VG] Apart from being introduced as the 2018 Indy 500 Champion, how else has the win changed your life?

[WP] It has created a lot satisfaction. It’s the box I needed to tick, and it’s something that I had worked very hard towards for a long time. It was my 11th time there. I would not have felt like my career would be complete if I had not won that and all the races and the championship and everything I had won. It was such an emotional win for me.

[VG] Between all the celebrating and media interviews, where do you find time to write your winners speech for the (Indy 500) banquet?

[WP] What I did was I didn’t write a speech, I just wrote down different words- thank the team, thank Chevy, Firestone. That’s all I did.

[VG] There were a couple of notable- and very similar incidents at this year’s Indy 500. Both Danica Patrick and your teammate, Helio Castroneves had the car step out on them as they came off of turn 4. When those incidents occur, does the team radio back with details on the crash to help you avoid a similar situation? Or do they withhold specifics and tell you to keep going as you are.

[WP] They’ll just usually say: “Danica lost it off a corner, or Kanaan lost if off turn two”. They don’t really give much detail to be honest. There’s no real need to know what happened exactly.

[VG] The new universal aero kit has produced some of the best street circuit racing we’ve ever seen. Do you expect it to do the same on the Street of Toronto?

[WP] Yes I do. I think it will be really good racing there. You can definitely follow closer and obviously the field is really competitive now- it’s the tightest we’ve seen in a long time with everyone running a common body kit. I’m really enjoying the racing.

[VG] Do you think there’s a particular corner that’s going to be a bit more competitive because of the new aero kit?

[WP] I think there will- like the typical turn three with that long straight. But now they’ve resurfaced going into turn one and I think that might open up some passing opportunities there.

[VG] You’re a three-time winner of the Honda Indy, Toronto. What do you like about coming to and racing in Toronto?

[WP] For one, it’s a great track. It’s always great for racing because it’s very difficult, and the fans and the atmosphere is really really good there. The Canadian fans love their sports. There’s always a big crowd and obviously this year you guys have a couple of great Canadian drivers that are capable of winning.

[VG] Portland is back on the schedule. Are there any other former races/tracks not currently on the schedule that you’d like to see IndyCar revive?

[WP] I would love to see the Gold Coast in Australia back on the schedule- Surfer’s Paradise.

[VG] I’m going to list a number of cars you’ve had the opportunity to race in North America. Pick one of those cars, and then any track on the current IndyCar schedule to race it on.

1.Lola Ford-Cosworth [2003-2006]

2.Panoz Cosworth [2007]

3.Dallara DW12 [2012-2014]

4.Dallara DW12 Manufacturer’s Aero Kit [2015-2017]

5.Dallara DW12 Universal Aero Kit [2018]

[WP] I would say the 2007 Panoz Cosworth at Edmonton was pretty fun and pretty hard. It was such a good balance of power and weight. Edmonton is such a driver’s track and is really open and you can really drive the crap out of the car! [Editor’s note: Edmonton isn’t currently on the IndyCar schedule, but is the home of Will Power’s first IndyCar Series win.]

[VG] If you could go back in time to 2005 and give rookie Will Power advice before his first ever race at Surfer’s Paradise in 2005, what would you say to him?

[WP] Oh man, so much! I’d give him a lot tips on driving. Give him a lot of tips on what I have learned!